TorrentSpy Slapped with $111 Million Court Judgment

In only what could be called an attention-getter, the MPAA lawsuit against TorrentSpy was successful, with the courts ordering the now defunct torrent-tracking site to pay $111 million, or $30,000 for each of the 3,699 infringements documented. This penalty is undoubtedly asinine, as it’s very unlikely the MPAA suffered $30,000 worth of damages for each infringement.

The success of this case does send a clear message to current and upcoming torrent site owners. Screwing around with the MPAA (or the RIAA for that matter) is like skating on thin ice. Things might be fine for a while, but the big companies are not going to remain quiet forever.

It’s of course unlikely that the previous owners of TorrentSpy will actually pay a dime, as it’s TorrentSpy as a company that’s charged, not the owners themselves. It does mean TorrentSpy will never re-open or be profitable again, however, but that was a given.

The case, producing what is among the largest fines in copyright history, was bolstered after the MPAA allegedly paid a hacker $15,000 for internal TorrentSpy e-mails and correspondence. “This substantial money judgment sends a strong message about the illegality of these sites,” MPAA Chairman Dan Glickman said in a statement.

Source: Wired